26 May 2026·3 min read
Dialogue where everyone answers the question
A conversation can feel too tidy when every question gets exactly the answer it asks for.
Read a page of dialogue and mark the questions and replies.
Where the exchange feels flat, consider whether the speakers want different things from it. Someone might change the subject, answer only part of a question or ask something back. Use that where it fits the characters, rather than making every reply evasive.
What does each person want?
Write down what each character wants from the conversation. They may be discussing the same subject for different reasons.
One wants reassurance; the other wants the conversation to end. Keeping both aims in mind can give an ordinary exchange more tension.
The reading test
Read one character’s lines aloud, skipping the other speakers. Then do the same for the next character.
Listen for differences in what they notice, how directly they speak and what they leave unsaid. If they sound alike, try changing those choices before adding accents or speech quirks.
Read more
These books explore the ideas in more detail, with examples you can try in your own work.
Stein on Writing · Sol Stein
Practical guidance on revision, with exercises to try on a draft.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers · Renni Browne & Dave King
Practical advice from two editors, with examples of how a passage can change in revision.
Steering the Craft · Ursula K. Le Guin
Exercises in sound, rhythm, point of view and other choices in prose.
For feedback on your own draft, Karlove offers a letter with examples from your pages, reviewed by Aksel before it's sent.
Stuck on your own draft?
Reads are free during the test phase. No card needed.